Cheese cutting machine



L. M. SEELY CHEES'E CUTTING MACHINE www All /q W @y mw.

Filed Feb. e, 1948 ZAMJZ l Y L E E S M. L

CHEESE CUTTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1948 lullin* 2502/670507# Zen/6J 11//11' 566g Ff W49. 1 M. sEELY CHEESE CUTTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 6,1949

OFFICE CHEESE CUTTING MACHINE Llewellyn M. Seely, Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pa.

Application February 6, 1948, Serial No. 6,636

3 Claims. (Cl. 31--30) This invention relates to an improved machine for cutting large blocks of cheese, such as Swiss cheese, into smaller blocks that may be conveniently handled by the retailer for slicing into smaller quantities as required by ultimate consumers. The cheese-cutting machine constructed according to the present invention is easy to operate, it will not get out of order or jam in use and requires no servicing or repairs over long periods of use.

The present construction consists essentially of a table top of relatively large area which supports the block of cheese, a cutting blade which can be moved horizontally to any desired position by a gear and rack construction over the cheese and means for moving the cutting blade upwardly and downwardly to cut the cheese. A novel self-positioning guard is provided for the cutting blade to protect the operator against accidental injury by the cutting blade.

Further details and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specication and drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cheese-cutting machine construction according to the present invention,

Figure 2 is a side view of the machine,

' Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 4 4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a fragmental side view of a modified construction of the knife carriage construction,

Figure 6 is a fragmental end view of the machine shown in Figure 1, and

Figure '1 is a sectional View taken on lines 1--1 of AFigure 3.

Referring to the drawings, a table top 20 is provided, preferably made of a single die block such as of Bakelite, laminated sheets adhesively bonded by a synthetic resin, redwood and the like of sucient dimensions to support a large commercial size disc of say Swiss cheese 60. The table 2li is supported on a frame member made of four spaced vertical angle iron leg members I, lower horizontal cross members 2 and 2 and upper horizontal cross members I and 4 welded together at their abutting ends in the relation shown in Figure 1. A plurality of spaced reinforcing upper horizontal channel members 4' are provided, as shown in Figure 3, extending from one end oi the frame to the other and preferably welded at their ends to upper angle irons 4. The table top 20 is rmly supported in the upper angle members as shown in Figures 3 and 6 by means of block members 20' which may be integral with the table top 26 or attached thereto in any suitable manner or the table top may rest directly in the angle members. Adjustable brackets 3 are provided at the bottom of each leg member I to permit levelling of the table on any given floor where the machine may be located and provide for adjustment of the legs so that the table top may be adjusted to different heights.

Two opposed channel members 9 are provided beneath the table top for supporting a drive mechanism for a movable carriage indicated generally by numeral 3i). The carriage 3|! is adapted to be moved horizontally on spaced gear racks I6 fixed to the channel members 9 by bolts I3 or other suitable means. A pair of freely rotatable opposed gears I1 on carriage 3l] mesh with the racks I6 so that the carriage can be manually pushed from one end of the table to the other end as desired. The carriage is comprised of two block members which support two spaced vertical angle members I6 as shown in Figures 2 and 4. A shaft I5 is supported at each end in the spaced blocks 5. Gears I1 are positioned adjacent each end of the shaft I5 and are fixed thereon. The gears I1 as previously stated are adapted to mesh with the teeth on racks I6 and to rotate thereon so as to m'ove the carriage I3 along the length of the table.

Guide brackets II are bolted to vertical gear racks I2. The guide brackets are adapted to mate with the channel member Ill in sliding engagement, as shown in Figure 4. The vertical racks I2 are thus guided for sliding vertical movement on the carriage 36. A rotatable shaft 1 is supported at the ends thereof in the spaced blocks 5. A gear 6 is ixedly mounted at each end of the shaft 1 by pins 6. The gears mate with the teeth on vertical racks I2. Handle bars 8 and 8 are provided on one end of shaft 1 to permit manual rotation of the shaft 1. When shaft 1 is rotated the gears 6 which are engaged with the racks I2 will move the racks I2 up or down depending upon the direction of rotation of the handle bars. The bottom ends of the racks are connected by a crossangle I'8 by bolts I9 which serve to act as a stop member for limiting the upward travel of the vertical racks.

A cutting blade 5l) is bolted to the upper portions of the vertical racks by bolts 53.

A self-adjusting guard member 35 is provided on the cutting blade 50 for protecting the operator against possible injury from the cutting blade. The guard member is preferably made of sheet metal bent into U-shaped form so as to embrace the cutting blade 50 in freely slideable relation the cutting. blade.

block operated independently of theother.

3 thereto. The opposed lateral sides 35' of the guard member are adapted to slide in U-shaped guide members 5| which are ainxed to the upper portion of vertical racks l 2 by the bolts 53 which also serve to retain the cutting blade 50. As shown in Figure 7, a spacer element 52 is positioned on the inner face of one leg of the U-shaped guide memberl `5l4 so as lto offset or space thefcutting blade 511i` away from :the rackl member l2.. vThis construction provides a guide way on each of the lateral sides of the cutting blade in which the mar.-

ginal portions 35 of the guard can Slide freely.A An upper cross-member 54 connects the-upper ends of the spaced guide membersj...

This construction of the guard member .permits the guard to slide up or downv over the cutting blade. its lowermost position due to the action.: of. gravity. The height of the guard is greater than thatA of. the cutting blade 50 so that its .lower 'edges 35"'will extend4 below the cutting `edge of Thus 'the cutting edgev ofthe vcutting blade is always shielded and will thusprotectithe Yhands of the operator at any.position in which the'lrnife may be above the vtable, wh-en'the .knife Ais `.not in use. When an article such as cheese is being. cut, .asjshown in Figure 6, the guard will automatically slideupwardly .along :the guides 5I as previously explained without interfering-with the cutting operation.

'The lower edges- 35 .of'the guard' member areV preferably turned inwardly, as shown inFig- .ure 5; to. reinforce. the lower edgesaswell. as to prev enttheed'ges frombecoming embeddedinthe 'article being cut.

In usingthedescr'ibed.. cheese-cutting-,machna a block of cheese 'B'.jis placedv on the,table,..as shownin 'Figure l. The operator then manually pushes. the carriage bygrasping. the handleQbars '8' andi''tc any suitable positioncver. the block of." cheese.. The carriagev willz readily slide on racks It as the .gears` readily. rotatethereonand will remain atthe desired position, ,sincethe teeth .of the gears. I1. and racks, l5. arejinmesliing re- ;lation. TheV operator then. turnsthe'handles and 8'. so aste/lower. the cutting blade tov the Vtop of the.- block `of cheese,v as shown 'injEigureL Further.. rotation .of vthe .handles williy cause the gears. 'BA meshing. with. vertical racks |22 'toiorce thecutting blade through. the cheeseas sh0wnin Figure 6.. At the same time theguard '3.5Q will slide upwardly resting .on the surface. of the cheese. When theV cheese isA cutgthroughcompletely thejknifeis .elevated byturninethe.' handles 8; and 8. inthe Qppositedirection.. Thecarrliage is then moved-.horizontally 'to .another .desired positiona'nd the. knife lowered again .asprevious'ly explainedto cut'thecheese again. 'This operation 'is repeatedy as. often as. desired..

In .previous constructions usingjblocks slideableinirictional relationon runways, asin ILS.

"Patent 2;0`17',642, October. 115,. 1'935, it. was'found very dif'cult to move the carriage .since vtheblocks jammed .in the run ways, especially sinceeach Aliso very often dirt and foreign substanceswouldi get inthe run .Waysand cause sticking. ofjthelblocks. In ymy construction both .gears 'lili being nxe'dlona single shaft will rotate at the sametimeandthus avoii jamming ofthe -carriage Furthermore,

The guard always tendstoslideftd 4 the teeth of the gears I 1 and racks I6 assure positive movement of the carriage as Well as retention at any given point when cutting is performed.

Figure 5 illustrates a modified construction of the gear mechanism for moving the carriage horizontally. Instead of using a single shaft I5 and gears l1, as shown in Figure 4, it may be desirable to use-a pair vof spaced shaftsal.l and; I5 each of which car-ries gears L and Il` respectively for engagement with racks I6. This construction :serves to balance the tilting forces acting on the carriage during the cutting operation, but otherwise-the-construction of the cutting machine is similar to.. the .irst construction described.

Various changes and modications may be made in my construction which are intended to be includedwithin the spirit of the invention as deheight. of. said guard v.member beinggmater 4vthan .said .cutting blade, venticalguides .adiacentthe sides of. said. cutting blade, .the extending, marginal. portions of said. guard.. memberbeing slideable in said vertical guides, Said gllald.mmher lbeing normally. actuated .by gravity. vdnwnwardly and, freely. slideable torest. in. its ,lQwermost Aposition and having its .lower .edge .extendingbelnw the cutting edge .of saidfcuttingblade.

13. In, a. cuttingmachine comnrisingavertically movable cutting blade, a U-shaped s'liideahle. vguard member enclosingboth. faces osaidcutting. blade and. having freevertically. extending marginal portions, vertical guides adjacent theslateltalfsides of said cutting blade, `the.extending .marginal portions of said guard member being-.slideahlein said, vertical guides, saidguard .member being normally actuated, by. gravity .downwardlg and freely.v .-slideable to. rest. in, .its .low.ermost position and having its lower edge.extending below the cuttingY edge of said4 cutting. blade..

LLEWELLYN M. ,SEELY- 'REFERENCES' ITED The. following references arecffreccrd in.- .the

.iile of. this patent:

UNITED STATES( PATENTS 

